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How modern technologies facilitate learning foreign languages

11/07/2021, reading time: approx. 5 minutes
Author: Pryscylla Kurkus, Editor: Monika Szeja

Hello IT explorers and explorers! Today we will talk about ways to make learning a foreign language easier thanks to technological innovations. Probably each of us has heard the words "Leave that phone/computer and go back to learning English tomorrow!" And probably many of us thought that learning words and grammatical structures was the last thing for which we would leave our favorite game or TV series. We have good news! – currently there are many technological improvements that will help us learn any foreign language! Working as an English teacher for several years, I had the opportunity to try many different tools and I have collected my favorites below. However, please remember that there are many, many more of them

1. Vocabulary

Currently, there are many vocabulary learning applications that are built on various mechanisms.

# Duolingo – Gamification
Duolingo is a free app that turns language learning into an adventure full of challenges and rewards. You can choose the language you want to learn, as well as adjust the difficulty level and the amount of time you can devote to learning each day. Doesn't that sound great?

Why Try Duolingo?
Game and Learning in One: With Duolingo, learning a language is like a game. You earn points for each correctly completed lesson, advance to the next levels and earn badges that show your progress.

– Flexibility: You can study whenever you want and wherever you want. The application adapts to your level and pace of learning.
– Variety of Languages: Duolingo offers courses in many languages, so you can choose the one that interests you the most.

#Quizlet - flashcards without getting out of breath

My favorite learning app is Quizlet, which has changed my approach to learning words. Quizlet was a great tool when I was learning French, because most of the materials were already created by other teachers.

If you use a given textbook in your lessons, just enter its title in the Quizlet search engine. Very often, teachers and lectors create vocabulary databases that are available to everyone! This means that you can find ready-made sets of flashcards perfectly suited to your needs.

Quizlet also allows you to easily create your own flashcards. You can add words, definitions and even pictures, which makes learning more creative and enjoyable. But it is not everything! After making a set of flashcards, the application automatically generates games and tests that will help you repeat and consolidate new vocabulary.

Additionally, the Quizlet app has many additional gamification features, such as:

Quizlet Live: a team game that lets you compete with your classmates in real time. Perfect for lessons and collaborative study sessions.
Writing Mode: writing and memorizing words through interactive exercises.
Matching Mode: Test your skills by matching words to their definitions.
Audio: listen to the correct pronunciation of new vocabulary.
Tests: Quizlet generates tests that you can use to test your knowledge before tests and exams.

2. Grammar

#BritishCouncil

British Council includes clearly explained grammar, tailoring the topic to your level. Additionally, supplementary exercises will show you whether you have mastered the material well and whether you fully understand a given grammatical issue.

#Grammarly

This artificial intelligence-based application will help you check whether your essay has grammatical errors and suggest how to correct them. Grammarly will be a great tool to understand why a given error occurs and what its nature is.

3. Listening and understanding

#Netflix

One of the best language learning techniques is "immersion in the language", which will help us become familiar with the language and absorb many phrases from everyday life.

When watching your favorite series and movies on streaming platforms (e.g. Netflix), it is worth changing the language in the settings to the one you want to learn. If we want to jump into the deep end, I recommend turning off the subtitles and trying to listen to the words and melody of the language. Don't be discouraged if you don't understand a lot - at the beginning, treat it as good fun :) It's worth starting with your favorite fairy tales - usually the language is simpler and the structures are less complex (although this is not always the rule). Be careful with the "sound and subtitles" settings in a foreign language - they do not always match 1:1.

While watching, write down new phrases and unknown expressions, and then translate them using a good dictionary - this will make your vocabulary even richer!

#Language Reactor

Language Reactor is a great browser extension that allows you to watch videos and generate double subtitles that you can check in real time. Thanks to this tool, you will be able to compare vocabulary and grammar and effortlessly check synonyms for a given expression.

#Spotify

We learn best by listening to topics that interest us. Spotify offers many podcasts, reports and audiobooks in various languages that will help you become familiar with the accent and melody of the language.

Moreover, many language enthusiasts create their own channels, translating grammatical nuances and explaining complicated structures. Just enter the topic you are interested in in the search engine and Spotify will suggest Podcasts and Programs.

Thanks to technology, we have endless opportunities to learn foreign languages, adapted to various learning styles and levels of advancement. Tools such as Quizlet, Duolingo, Grammarly, Language Reactor and platforms such as Netflix and Spotify enable interactive, engaging and enjoyable learning. Thanks to a creative approach that combines science and technology, everyone can find a way to learn a language in an interesting way. I hope that the next time someone asks, "What interesting things are you doing on the computer again?", you will answer: "I'm learning a new language." 🙂

Have fun with science and technology, explore the wide range of opportunities to learn foreign languages, and enjoy every moment of this fascinating journey.

Pryscylla Kurkus

I have been working in IT in various roles for several years, currently as an IT Project Manager. Linguistics and photography enthusiast. In my free time I love sports, good cuisine and art.